When did Wolverine really become popular?? 2 2

[RockMyAmadeus]

The two most important issues in Wolverine's growth in popularity were X-Men 133 and the Wolverine Mini Series.

 

As many of you probably know, Wolverine was an also-ran in the early X-Men run, and the writers were decided which of the duplicate anti-social wild-child characters to kill off in X-Men 95 - Thunderbird or Wolverine.

 

Ah yes but by the mid 100's he was beginning to gain prominence both in stories and on covers.

 

I think the Miller mini was done because he was popular.

 

 

I think the Miller mini was done because MILLER was popular. In fact, I'm sure of it.

[VintageComics]

The two most important issues in Wolverine's growth in popularity were X-Men 133 and the Wolverine Mini Series.

 

As many of you probably know, Wolverine was an also-ran in the early X-Men run, and the writers were decided which of the duplicate anti-social wild-child characters to kill off in X-Men 95 - Thunderbird or Wolverine.

 

Ah yes but by the mid 100's he was beginning to gain prominence both in stories and on covers.

 

I think the Miller mini was done because he was popular.

 

 

I think the Miller mini was done because MILLER was popular. In fact, I'm sure of it.

 

But why Wolvie and not DD or Cloak and Dagger or something else?

 

By 1982 when the mini series had come out, Wolvie had already been featured on several covers in the X-men run, had mini features within the story arcs against Hellfire club and was tied into a love interest with Jean. He was moving to the forefront of the X-men series even though even individual characters were popular.

 

Issues #140, 141 and #142 centered around Wolvie.

 

Wolvie had already risen above the rest of the X-men in popularity by the time the mini series came about.

 

I realize he became even more popular by the late 1980's but that is likely another surge.

 

What makes you so sure that the mini was because of FM and not Wolvie?

[RockMyAmadeus]

The two most important issues in Wolverine's growth in popularity were X-Men 133 and the Wolverine Mini Series.

 

As many of you probably know, Wolverine was an also-ran in the early X-Men run, and the writers were decided which of the duplicate anti-social wild-child characters to kill off in X-Men 95 - Thunderbird or Wolverine.

 

Ah yes but by the mid 100's he was beginning to gain prominence both in stories and on covers.

 

I think the Miller mini was done because he was popular.

 

 

I think the Miller mini was done because MILLER was popular. In fact, I'm sure of it.

 

But why Wolvie and not DD or Cloak and Dagger or something else?

 

 

Because it's not one, to the exclusion of any and everything else. There are obviously degrees of importance in the factors involved, and the most important factor was that it was Miller, who was at the height of his popularity.

 

It's like the Dark Knight....there is an article (I think it was actually by Keith Contarino) in one of the OPG Updates that describes this.

 

Paraphrased, he says "(writing in 1989, about the Bat-craze then in effect) This reminds me of how well the Dark Knight was received. But, in 1986, it was all about Miller. Now, in 1989, it's all about Batman."

 

I think that sums it up pretty well.

[VintageComics]

1986 was about Miller because Batman wasn't as popular as he was in 1989.

 

Wolverine was at a peak in popularity at that point in time. Not the peak but a peak. So was Miller (he was the hottest thing since sliced bread) but I don't think it was a co-incidence that Wolvie was chosen for Miller's project.

 

I do realize that Miller had a fascination with Japanese culture.

 

That still doesn't mean Wolvie wasn't popular.

 

Anybody have guide values for Hulk #181 to see what prices were in 1980 - 1990?

 

 

 

 

[Jiminy_Cricket-migration]

Hey, for you guys that were reading comics when Wolverine was first introduced... how long did it really take him to pick up steam as a character? Was he an instant hit after Hulk 181 or did it take a while?

 

Just curious. I got to wondering about this because I just saw a X-Men 109 in the sales forum. Wolverine was taking a beating on the cover and it got me wondering: were people really into him at that point and did they realize he was something special, or was he just another character that they figured might disappear somewhere down the line?

 

Didn't have time to read past the first page so please disregard if someone already mentioned this..........

 

By early 1992, Wolverine was on the cover of every comic book of every character, including DC's. I think I also saw him on the covers of Rolling Stone, Penthouse, Popular Mechanics, school text books, and even your weekly grocery store circulars.

[RockMyAmadeus]

The two most important issues in Wolverine's growth in popularity were X-Men 133 and the Wolverine Mini Series.

 

As many of you probably know, Wolverine was an also-ran in the early X-Men run, and the writers were decided which of the duplicate anti-social wild-child characters to kill off in X-Men 95 - Thunderbird or Wolverine.

 

Ah yes but by the mid 100's he was beginning to gain prominence both in stories and on covers.

 

I think the Miller mini was done because he was popular.

 

 

I think the Miller mini was done because MILLER was popular. In fact, I'm sure of it.

 

But why Wolvie and not DD or Cloak and Dagger or something else?

 

By 1982 when the mini series had come out, Wolvie had already been featured on several covers in the X-men run, had mini features within the story arcs against Hellfire club and was tied into a love interest with Jean. He was moving to the forefront of the X-men series even though even individual characters were popular.

 

Issues #140, 141 and #142 centered around Wolvie.

 

Wolvie had already risen above the rest of the X-men in popularity by the time the mini series came about.

 

I realize he became even more popular by the late 1980's but that is likely another surge.

 

What makes you so sure that the mini was because of FM and not Wolvie?

 

Speaking of cover, I did a rundown of the exact amount of times Wolvie appeared on the cover, and was featured on the cover. It's substantially less than Storm and Colossus, and even less than Cyclops, and about the same as Nightcrawler. GS #1 to #200.

 

And #141-142 centered around KITTY, not Wolverine. She was the star of that story, the link between both worlds.

[RockMyAmadeus]

Hey, for you guys that were reading comics when Wolverine was first introduced... how long did it really take him to pick up steam as a character? Was he an instant hit after Hulk 181 or did it take a while?

 

Just curious. I got to wondering about this because I just saw a X-Men 109 in the sales forum. Wolverine was taking a beating on the cover and it got me wondering: were people really into him at that point and did they realize he was something special, or was he just another character that they figured might disappear somewhere down the line?

 

Didn't have time to read past the first page so please disregard if someone already mentioned this..........

 

By early 1992, Wolverine was on the cover of every comic book of every character, including DC's. I think I also saw him on the covers of Rolling Stone, Penthouse, Popular Mechanics, school text books, and even your weekly grocery store circulars.

 

Hehehehe....

[RockMyAmadeus]

1986 was about Miller because Batman wasn't as popular as he was in 1989.

 

Exactly my point.

 

Insert "wolverine" for batman and "1982" for 1986, and "1986" for 1989, and you have the exact point I'm making.

 

Wolverine was at a peak in popularity at that point in time. Not the peak but a peak. So was Miller (he was the hottest thing since sliced bread) but I don't think it was a co-incidence that Wolvie was chosen for Miller's project.

 

I do realize that Miller had a fascination with Japanese culture.

 

That still doesn't mean Wolvie wasn't popular.

 

Anybody have guide values for Hulk #181 to see what prices were in 1980 - 1990?

 

You're a grinder.

 

No one said Wolverine wasn't popular. So many folks on these boards take things to one extreme or the other...it's a little frustrating. Repeat: no one said Wolverine wasn't popular.

 

The point was that in the early 80's, Wolverine wasn't NEARLY as popular as he was by the late 80's, not even close, and he had to share the spotlight with Dazzler (#1 selling book of 1981), Kitty Pryde, and the rest of the X-Men.

[VintageComics]

1986 was about Miller because Batman wasn't as popular as he was in 1989.

 

Exactly my point.

 

Insert "wolverine" for batman and "1982" for 1986, and "1986" for 1989, and you have the exact point I'm making.

 

Wolverine was at a peak in popularity at that point in time. Not the peak but a peak. So was Miller (he was the hottest thing since sliced bread) but I don't think it was a co-incidence that Wolvie was chosen for Miller's project.

 

I do realize that Miller had a fascination with Japanese culture.

 

That still doesn't mean Wolvie wasn't popular.

 

Anybody have guide values for Hulk #181 to see what prices were in 1980 - 1990?

 

You're a grinder.

 

No one said Wolverine wasn't popular. So many folks on these boards take things to one extreme or the other...it's a little frustrating. Repeat: no one said Wolverine wasn't popular.

 

The point was that in the early 80's, Wolverine wasn't NEARLY as popular as he was by the late 80's, not even close, and he had to share the spotlight with Dazzler (#1 selling book of 1981), Kitty Pryde, and the rest of the X-Men.

 

I know I'm a grinder.

 

I'm not saying Wolvie reached his peak in 1982. What I am saying is that he started rising above the pack at that point in time.

 

And I full well realize that I could be entirely subjective about this as for me the Wolverine mini was just about the most amazing thing I'd ever read off the newsstand.

 

 

Guide prices for #181 from 1980 to 1990 would probably be a good indicator.

 

I fully agree that he went over the top in the late 1980's when he started appearing in Punisher books.

 

 

[jaeldubyoo]

The two most important issues in Wolverine's growth in popularity were X-Men 133 and the Wolverine Mini Series.

 

As many of you probably know, Wolverine was an also-ran in the early X-Men run, and the writers were decided which of the duplicate anti-social wild-child characters to kill off in X-Men 95 - Thunderbird or Wolverine.

 

Ah yes but by the mid 100's he was beginning to gain prominence both in stories and on covers.

 

I think the Miller mini was done because he was popular.

 

 

I think the Miller mini was done because MILLER was popular. In fact, I'm sure of it.

 

Not for me. I bought it because of Wolverine. In fact, I really didn't care for the Miller art then. But I knew Wolverine would be hot. I bought 50 copies of #1-#4 because I knew Wolverine was hot.

Edited April 12, 2014 by jaeldubyoo

[delekkerste]

The Wolverine mini was Claremont's baby. Miller initially declined the assignment until Claremont sold him on the Japan angle.

 

Wolverine won the "Favorite Character" category in both the 1982 and 1984 annual Comics Buyers Guide fan polls. While that's of course not conclusive, it does strongly support the narrative that his star turn in UXM 133, DOFP and the mini series catapulted the character into true superstardom, leaving the other X-Men, Dazzler (really??) and all the other pretenders in the dust.

 

And, while Jean and Cyclops were the focus of the Hellfire Club issues and DOFP used Kitty as a major foil, let's not kid ourselves - Wolverine stole the show. Counting cover appearances simply doesn't measure the character's popularity at the time - no one would argue that Storm was more popular than Wolverine in 1982-1983 even if she had gotten more facetime on the covers and interiors of UXM up to that point than Wolverine. As Roy said, Wolverine's popularity did go on to higher peaks later on, but he was clearly already a superstar after the mini came out and arguably the most popular character in comics at the time.

[jaeldubyoo]

1986 was about Miller because Batman wasn't as popular as he was in 1989.

 

Wolverine was at a peak in popularity at that point in time. Not the peak but a peak. So was Miller (he was the hottest thing since sliced bread) but I don't think it was a co-incidence that Wolvie was chosen for Miller's project.

 

I do realize that Miller had a fascination with Japanese culture.

 

That still doesn't mean Wolvie wasn't popular.

 

Anybody have guide values for Hulk #181 to see what prices were in 1980 - 1990?

 

 

 

 

You made me dig out my old Overstreets.

 

OPG 10 (80/81) $3.75

OPG 11 (81/82) $5.25

OPG 12 (82/83) $16.00

OPG 13 can't find my copy

OPG 14 (84/85) $20.00

OPG 15 (85/86) $24.00

OPG 16 (86/87) $24.00

OPG 17 (87/88) $32.00

OPG 18 (88/89) $36.00

OPG 19 (89/90) $75.00

 

What this shows is steady increases except after the mini-series when it triples and between 18 and 19 when it doubles. My recollection is that Hulk #181 sold for double OPG if not more during the early 80s.

[kav]

1986 was about Miller because Batman wasn't as popular as he was in 1989.

 

Wolverine was at a peak in popularity at that point in time. Not the peak but a peak. So was Miller (he was the hottest thing since sliced bread) but I don't think it was a co-incidence that Wolvie was chosen for Miller's project.

 

I do realize that Miller had a fascination with Japanese culture.

 

That still doesn't mean Wolvie wasn't popular.

 

Anybody have guide values for Hulk #181 to see what prices were in 1980 - 1990?

 

 

 

 

You made me dig out my old Overstreets.

 

OPG 10 (80/81) $3.75

OPG 11 (81/82) $5.25

OPG 12 (82/83) $16.00

OPG 13 can't find my copy

OPG 14 (84/85) $20.00

OPG 15 (85/86) $24.00

OPG 16 (86/87) $24.00

OPG 17 (87/88) $32.00

OPG 18 (88/89) $36.00

OPG 19 (89/90) $75.00

 

What this shows is steady increases except after the mini-series when it triples and between 18 and 19 when it doubles. My recollection is that Hulk #181 sold for double OPG if not more during the early 80s.

Marty McFly could have used that book.....

[chrisco37]

 

You made me dig out my old Overstreets.

 

OPG 10 (80/81) $3.75

OPG 11 (81/82) $5.25

OPG 12 (82/83) $16.00

OPG 13 can't find my copy

OPG 14 (84/85) $20.00

OPG 15 (85/86) $24.00

OPG 16 (86/87) $24.00

OPG 17 (87/88) $32.00

OPG 18 (88/89) $36.00

OPG 19 (89/90) $75.00

 

What this shows is steady increases except after the mini-series when it triples and between 18 and 19 when it doubles. My recollection is that Hulk #181 sold for double OPG if not more during the early 80s.

 

Thanks for posting that. I love seeing the old prices and realizing all the "mistakes" I made over the years.

 

I started getting into back issues 86-87. I remember going to the LCS and buying the Wolverine mini. #1 probably cost me about $15 or so. The rest of the run was probably another $15-20 total. So, lets call it $30 for the series. I probably could've bought a Hulk 181 for that price.

 

I did the same with the Predator mini. They had them in one of the glass display cases (where they kept the really good books). It was sitting there next to ASM 121 &122. I know I paid $20 for #1. Did it again a few months later when I bought a DHP#24 for $25.

[Darkowl]

1986 was about Miller because Batman wasn't as popular as he was in 1989.

 

Wolverine was at a peak in popularity at that point in time. Not the peak but a peak. So was Miller (he was the hottest thing since sliced bread) but I don't think it was a co-incidence that Wolvie was chosen for Miller's project.

 

I do realize that Miller had a fascination with Japanese culture.

 

That still doesn't mean Wolvie wasn't popular.

 

Anybody have guide values for Hulk #181 to see what prices were in 1980 - 1990?

 

 

 

 

You made me dig out my old Overstreets.

 

OPG 10 (80/81) $3.75

OPG 11 (81/82) $5.25

OPG 12 (82/83) $16.00

OPG 13 can't find my copy

OPG 14 (84/85) $20.00

OPG 15 (85/86) $24.00

OPG 16 (86/87) $24.00

OPG 17 (87/88) $32.00

OPG 18 (88/89) $36.00

OPG 19 (89/90) $75.00

 

What this shows is steady increases except after the mini-series when it triples and between 18 and 19 when it doubles. My recollection is that Hulk #181 sold for double OPG if not more during the early 80s.

Marty McFly could have used that book.....

 

 

Back to the Future

[Darkowl]

1986 was about Miller because Batman wasn't as popular as he was in 1989.

 

Wolverine was at a peak in popularity at that point in time. Not the peak but a peak. So was Miller (he was the hottest thing since sliced bread) but I don't think it was a co-incidence that Wolvie was chosen for Miller's project.

 

I do realize that Miller had a fascination with Japanese culture.

 

That still doesn't mean Wolvie wasn't popular.

 

Anybody have guide values for Hulk #181 to see what prices were in 1980 - 1990?

 

 

 

 

You made me dig out my old Overstreets.

 

OPG 10 (80/81) $3.75

OPG 11 (81/82) $5.25

OPG 12 (82/83) $16.00

OPG 13 can't find my copy

OPG 14 (84/85) $20.00

OPG 15 (85/86) $24.00

OPG 16 (86/87) $24.00

OPG 17 (87/88) $32.00

OPG 18 (88/89) $36.00

OPG 19 (89/90) $75.00

 

What this shows is steady increases except after the mini-series when it triples and between 18 and 19 when it doubles. My recollection is that Hulk #181 sold for double OPG if not more during the early 80s.

 

That's truly awesome. I was waiting for someone to post this. Amazing how much this book goes for now.

[Vikingreed]

UXM #133 was EPIC.

What a great issue.

 

The final panel in #132 was great as well.

 

[chrisco37]

UXM #133 was EPIC.

What a great issue.

 

The final panel in #132 was great as well.

 

 

Yep. One of the all-time classic single panels. When people talk about John Byrne's Wolverine, this is the first image that pops into my head.

[kav]

1986 was about Miller because Batman wasn't as popular as he was in 1989.

 

Wolverine was at a peak in popularity at that point in time. Not the peak but a peak. So was Miller (he was the hottest thing since sliced bread) but I don't think it was a co-incidence that Wolvie was chosen for Miller's project.

 

I do realize that Miller had a fascination with Japanese culture.

 

That still doesn't mean Wolvie wasn't popular.

 

Anybody have guide values for Hulk #181 to see what prices were in 1980 - 1990?

 

 

 

 

You made me dig out my old Overstreets.

 

OPG 10 (80/81) $3.75

OPG 11 (81/82) $5.25

OPG 12 (82/83) $16.00

OPG 13 can't find my copy

OPG 14 (84/85) $20.00

OPG 15 (85/86) $24.00

OPG 16 (86/87) $24.00

OPG 17 (87/88) $32.00

OPG 18 (88/89) $36.00

OPG 19 (89/90) $75.00

 

What this shows is steady increases except after the mini-series when it triples and between 18 and 19 when it doubles. My recollection is that Hulk #181 sold for double OPG if not more during the early 80s.

Marty McFly could have used that book.....

 

 

Back to the Future

Have you seen this?

[jreezy]

1986 was about Miller because Batman wasn't as popular as he was in 1989.

 

Wolverine was at a peak in popularity at that point in time. Not the peak but a peak. So was Miller (he was the hottest thing since sliced bread) but I don't think it was a co-incidence that Wolvie was chosen for Miller's project.

 

I do realize that Miller had a fascination with Japanese culture.

 

That still doesn't mean Wolvie wasn't popular.

 

Anybody have guide values for Hulk #181 to see what prices were in 1980 - 1990?

 

 

 

 

You made me dig out my old Overstreets.

 

OPG 10 (80/81) $3.75

OPG 11 (81/82) $5.25

OPG 12 (82/83) $16.00

OPG 13 can't find my copy

OPG 14 (84/85) $20.00

OPG 15 (85/86) $24.00

OPG 16 (86/87) $24.00

OPG 17 (87/88) $32.00

OPG 18 (88/89) $36.00

OPG 19 (89/90) $75.00

 

What this shows is steady increases except after the mini-series when it triples and between 18 and 19 when it doubles. My recollection is that Hulk #181 sold for double OPG if not more during the early 80s.

Marty McFly could have used that book.....

 

seriously